Existing CPA devices are typically loose pieces that operate as wedges that keep the mated electrical connectors locked to each other. See for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,306 granted to John A. Yurtin et al. May 24, 1988, which discloses a pin-like CPA device for electrical connectors that is wedged into a gauge hole that exists only if the electrical connectors are properly mated and locked together. U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,204 granted to John R. Metzger Mar. 6, 1990, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,402 granted to Randy L. Fink et al. Aug. 7, 1990, show similar arrangements.
While these CPA devices have been used successfully, the CPA devices have a common drawback in that the CPA devices are loose pieces that can be lost or ignored in the assembly process.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,395 granted to Kenneth P. Cope et al. Aug. 7, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,298 granted to Stacy A. Brussalis et al. Jun. 25, 1991; U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,255 granted to Tomoyuki Kouda et al. Jun. 9, 1992, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,471 granted to Robert G. Plyler Feb. 25, 1997, disclose CPA devices that are slideably retained on the connector body of one of the matable electrical connectors thus avoiding many of the problems associated with CPA devices that are loose pieces.
While some of these CPA devices have been used successfully, further improvements are still desirable and possible.